Local Eco News 📰
Happy New Year! 🍾 Apologies – it’s been a while, but the KEG monthly digest is back and raring to go. Here’s a bit of recap of some of the great stuff that took place at the tail end of last year and some dates for your new 2026 diaries!
NEW ACCESSIBILITY PATH AT ST MARY’S
In case you missed it, or have not yet sampled it, the circular path from one end of the St Mary’s Fields car park down to the pond and back round to the gate was resurfaced last term with a grand opening on the 1st Nov. St Mary’s Fields Nature Reserve worked with The Genuine Disabled Access Taskforce to make it fully accessible and thus enable more people in our community the opportunity to enjoy this lovely local natural resource and beauty spot. The new path is 1.2 metres wide and includes periodic passing places and improved drainage. The £42K that the improvements cost were made possible by a TOE grant, as well as generous contributions from the Parish Council, Smiths of Bletchington, and the contractor Handingham Kirk who gave an ecology/community discount.
The Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly known as Sustrans) has also laboured hard to resurface the Route 51 cycle path over the ridge and furrow fields and the first phase of this is now complete (though currently under the water that is usual this time of year!). More work is still to be done, and features to be added later in 2026.
FEELING THE WINTER CHILL? ITS DRAUGHT BUSTER TIME!
Our DraughtBuster volunteers have been out over these cold winter months draught-busting homes in the Kidlington area and helping people in our community stay warm, as well as cut their heating bills and carbon footprint. If you’d like to find out more or request a free visit check out our DB page here.
Currently, we’re very dependent on Bob and Ant, and would love to expand the team. If you are or know someone with a bit of DIY savvy (or a willingness to learn!) who’d be up for joining our team, please see our info sheet here, or get in touch with us via kidlingtonecogroup@gmail.com.
NEW BUS ROUTE – INTRODUCING THE 800
You might have noticed that there’s a new 800 bus service is now running and providing a much needed link between Yarnton, Begbroke and Kidlington. Opting for the humble bus o’er the ole carbon puffing car helps reduce fossil fuel use, pollution, and congestion. Plus you can read a book. In the words of Kidlington Parish Council: “Please support it by using the service whenever you can — passenger numbers will help secure its future”. You can watch their facebook reel about it here.
HAZEL COPPICING PARTY AT PARK HILL
Park Hill Growing Space and St Mary’s Fields Kidlington volunteers combined forces with Kidlington Parish Council last Saturday to woodchip paths, plant sweet peas, mulch fruit bushes and hedgerows, and coppice the hazel in the Park Hill copse, and did so with trademark camaraderie, mirth, gusto and cake. The plan is for the ‘stakes and binders’ harvested during the coppicing to be made into hurdles for Axtell Close.
Calendar 📆
Want to know what ecological things are going on locally over the next few weeks? Well here you go!
| Jan 2026 | |
| ㉓ | Big Garden Bird Watch | 23rd-25th January – Join the world’s largest garden wildlife survey this January. Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring. Watch the video here, or to find out more and sign up click here. |
| Feb 2026 | |
| ③ | Kidlington Towpath Taskforce | Tues 3rd Feb, 10am-2pm | Roundham Lock, Partridge Place OX5 1SL – Come and help improve the canal environment through Kidlington at these drop-in volunteer working parties run by Canal & River Trust. Something for all skill levels. Come for all or part of the time. Sign-up via the Canal & River Trust Portal. Minimum age 18. |
| ④ | Kidlington Gardening Society Talk | Weds 4th Feb, 7.30pm | Exeter Hall, small hall (OX5 1AB) – Our speaker Malcolm Moodie will be talking on the topic of ‘Growing Orchids in the home’. Competition: A pot plant. Members are free, non-members £3. More info here! |
| ⑤ | KEG Meeting | Thurs 5th Feb, 1pm | Committee Room, Exeter Hall (OX5 1AB) – Join representatives of different local eco groups and enthusiasts to connect, communicate and collaborate. |
| ⑦ | St Mary’s Fields Work Party | Sat 7th Feb, 10am-12pm | St Mary’s carpark (OX5 2BA) – Join the team of volunteers working on some winter tasks, encourage nature and monitor river quality. Also enjoy a well-earned slice of Julia or Rosie’s homemade cake at half time! |
| ⑫ | Woodland Trust Stratfield Brake Task Group | Thurs 12th Feb, 10am-1pm | Stratfield Brake, Frieze Way (OX5 1UP) – Sign up to help carry out a variety of practical tasks under the guidance of the Woodland Trust Site Manager, to keep the site looking great and pathways accessible, as well as help manage the woodland in line with management plans. A great way to learn skills and meet new people, the Working Group also directly contributes to the care and upkeep of valuable habitats. Volunteers need to sign up via the Woodland Trust volunteers page here. |
| ⑭ | Kidlington Repair Cafe | Sat 14th Feb, 10am-12pm | Kidlington Methodist Church, Oxford Rd (OX5 2BP) – Need to repair or restore an item? Drop in for repairs of electronics, household items, bicycles, textiles, toys etc. Also for restoring items, such as knife and tool sharpening. And a coffee while you wait! Last items taken at 11.30am. For more information see here. |
If you have any local eco news or events to feed in to our next monthly digest please email: kidlingtonecogroup@gmail.com
Our next KEG meetings are on Thurs 5th Feb from 1pm @ Exeter Hall in the committee room. All welcome!
Kidlington Eco Group 
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